Which Carrier Is Right For My Ferret?

Travel Accessories Made Easy
Whenever you travel with your ferret, you should always bring a carrier along. Sometimes your ferret will stay in the carrier the entire time, other times the carrier is just there to give your ferret a safe, quiet place to rest or retreat. But there is a huge selection of ferret carriers in a variety of styles to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for your ferret? Below, each carrier style is explained to help you select the carrier that best suits your ferret's needs.

Soft-Sided Travel Carriers
Soft-sided ferret carriers are very useful for short trips to and from the veterinarian or over to a friend's house. They aren't generally useful for long trips because you cannot attach water or food bowls to them. They usually allow your ferret more freedom to look around during travel, as many or all of the sides are open. Because of the open sides, soft-sided carriers tend to be better ventilated, making them and excellent choice for travel in warmer temperatures. Many have convenient, outside storage pockets for food, treats, a harness and lead, and other travel necessities.

Soft-sided carriers are strong and can withstand some digging. However, if your ferret is one of those ferrets who will dig at the carpet for hours, trying to get under the door, then you may want to look into a hard plastic and wire carrier.

Hard Plastic Carriers
Hard plastic and carriers are great for short trips as well as longer trips. You can attach food and water bowls to the wire door, and they have ventilation holes through which you can attach ferret hammock hooks. Plastic ferret carriers come in a variety of sizes, so you can get a smaller carrier for a single ferret or an extra large carrier for multiple ferrets. Hard-sided carriers are significantly easier to clean than soft-sided carriers, and the plastic won't absorb odors as readily as fabric will. Many of these carriers will have two doors, one on the front and one on the top or side for easy access and hassle-free pet loading and unloading.

Wearable Carriers
Wearable ferret carriers are great for times when you're in a crowd and you don't want to keep your ferret in a carrier, but it's too dangerous for her to be on the ground on a harness and lead. Wearable carriers allow your ferret to look around and take in the new sites and sounds, but keep her safe and prevent her from getting stepped on. They have mesh sides to allow for adequate ventilation and airflow as well as outside pockets to store travel necessities. Wearable ferret carriers also include a way to restrain your ferret, whether it be a lead attachment or a whole safety harness. This allows you to leave the top flap open, but keeps your ferret from escaping.

This style of ferret carrier can also be used around the house, while hiking, or pretty much anytime you're on the go and would like to keep your ferret close. They're especially popular at ferret shows or other places where there is a large number of animals present.

No matter which carrier you decide is best for your ferret, you should always have one handy when taking your ferret out and about.